Spam, bogus profiles a high risk on Twitter

Attacks targeting Twitter visitors through bogus Twitter accounts that mostly bots run have been inundating friends of numerous Twitter users with spam messages since June 2009, jeopardizing the integrity and reputation of the micro-blogging site that had a huge number of users captivated with its new theme that asked one to post his thoughts within 140 characters.

Says founder Ankur Verma of a yet to be launched social search engine www.travelraaga.com that spammers abusing Twitter results in an onslaught of useless information that legitimate users are compelled to deal with, causing wastage of resources and time, even possible virus or other malware infections, if e-mail recipients click the web-links embedded on the spam tweets. DNA published this on July 10, 2009.

Verma adds that the most recent spamming assault on current news also creates difficulty in locating authentic information from amidst the whole lot of spam tweets that could even lead to a possible backlash from irritated Twitter users.

In truth, the point that Verma has raised becomes real when experts on computer security reveal that the Facebook game, "Pirates," an ongoing subject on Twitter, is associated with several spammy accounts.

The experts also reveal that the 'Pirates' spamming incident might have originated out of yet another spamming incident linked to Somali Pirates that took place some days ago, however, presently, it is a totally fake ongoing theme, flooded with numerous e-mails whose senders talk of having 'Plundered in Pirates' and therefore seek an 'Energy Boost.'

Amusingly, other spammers seem to be riding free with the topic, unleashing web-links that point towards malicious sites of their own.

Actually, experts apprehend the worst to happen as the malicious activities the con-men and spammers have been performing over the Web or with e-mail might soon be tailored to Twitter or other popular mediums from where profits could be generated.

Thus, Twitter is heading towards an intense spam problem and unless the social site attempts to counter it, the ongoing scams and ensuing fake profiles would further increase, possibly converting the site from a cool hang out into a den for spam fraud, warn the experts.

Related article: Spam Scam Bags a Scottish Connection

» SPAMfighter News - 7/27/2009